From today's Boston Globe. So if it passes, does this mean our property taxes will go down, due to the "millions of dollars" in weed taxes...???

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire’s House is voting whether to legalize up to 1 ounce of marijuana for recreational use for anyone age 21 and older.

The House is scheduled to vote Wednesday on a bill that proposes taxing the drug when it is sold at retail at a rate of $30 per ounce and letting people grow up to six marijuana plants in a controlled environment.

Supporters say the bill was modeled after one approved by Colorado voters last year and is similar to one Washington voters passed. They say New Hampshire would receive millions of dollars in tax revenue.

Opponents argue marijuana is bad for people’s health, would be difficult to regulate and is illegal under federal law.

Weed is as available as booze was during prohibition. Outlawing it simply makes it profitable for organized crime, makes criminal out of everyday people and does nothing to stop the usage. Legalize it, regulate it and bring those tax dollars to NH!

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People are already smoking weed, buying it underground, and funding criminals all the way down the chain. Legalize, regulate it, and tax the snot out of it. It grows naturally and the only reason it is illegal is because there is no tax revenue from it. The same things go for "Moonshine" down here in NC. I think some of the attraction to it is just the fact it is illegal. If anybody can grow it, then there is little to no ciminal enterprise to go with it.

There may be a slight increase in usage because there will be people who want to try it or use it, but never wanted to risk criminal charges (smart). What happens if another plant is discovered to offer the same "high" as weed? What happens if it's discovered that smoking Dandy Lions will provide a high? I have libertarian tendencies and feel that adults should have the right to make their own decisions while leaving them to deal with the consequences on their own.

You can still be convicted of DWI (driving while impaired) if the impairing substance is weed. There is just no test to measure how much you had like there is for alcohol. A law could be made stating that no marijuana may in your system while driving. Marijuana lingers in the body, but I mean the immediate usage of it. An officer stops somebody and they are high, marijuana tests positive in a blood draw...boom, 0 tolerance then. This would include boats, atvs, and sleds.

The point is that it is already being used and the war against it is never going to be "won".

People are already smoking weed, buying it underground, and funding criminals all the way down the chain. Legalize, regulate it, and tax the snot out of it. It grows naturally and the only reason it is illegal is because there is no tax revenue from it. The same things go for "Moonshine" down here in NC. I think some of the attraction to it is just the fact it is illegal. If anybody can grow it, then there is little to no ciminal enterprise to go with it.

There may be a slight increase in usage because there will be people who want to try it or use it, but never wanted to risk criminal charges (smart). What happens if another plant is discovered to offer the same "high" as weed? What happens if it's discovered that smoking Dandy Lions will provide a high? I have libertarian tendencies and feel that adults should have the right to make their own decisions while leaving them to deal with the consequences on their own.

You can still be convicted of DWI (driving while impaired) if the impairing substance is weed. There is just no test to measure how much you had like there is for alcohol. A law could be made stating that no marijuana may in your system while driving. Marijuana lingers in the body, but I mean the immediate usage of it. An officer stops somebody and they are high, marijuana tests positive in a blood draw...boom, 0 tolerance then. This would include boats, atvs, and sleds.

The point is that it is already being used and the war against it is never going to be "won".

Well said, Homewood!

Camp Guy is not wrong either, but Colorado has a really good transportation structure and poor schools (15% of that tax is earmarked for school rebuilding), while I feel we have the reverse. Many of our schools are new and well built, while most (if not all) state roads I ride are in need of proper replacement, not just a patch.

So.....what happens to all of the money from lotto ticket sales? Does that really keep school taxes down? What makes anyone think that it (pot tax) will lessen the individual tax burden? Any examples of that actually happening and being sustained?

So.....what happens to all of the money from lotto ticket sales? Does that really keep school taxes down? What makes anyone think that it (pot tax) will lessen the individual tax burden? Any examples of that actually happening and being sustained?

Oh, I agree. It's funny how our personal tax burdens are rarely affected in our favor when new forms of revenue are established. The politicians just find more stuff to spend the new found money on. Regardless of the tax revenue, the money and effort saved by law enforcement and the court system alone is worth the legislation. This argument is for weed only, not harder or synthetic drugs.

Please take a look around before you start thinking of reducing your own taxes as the State is basically falling apart . Roads , other then the interstate , are a mess , parks are in disrepair , places like Laconia need major help , huge percentage of older ( and younger ) living in poverty with no insurance . It might be great for us lucky people that live around the lake ( and most made the money to do so in another state ) but the lack of revenue has had a very negative impact on most of this state
On the weed part . The stuff is all over right now and there is realy not a lot to be concerned with . It's on the same level as a six pack , actually probably safer

Please take a look around before you start thinking of reducing your own taxes as the State is basically falling apart

Is that from not enough tax revenue or wasteful government? I'll take wasteful government for a $1000, Alex. I am not a NH resident (yet!), so I do not claim to know all of it's financial business. However, basic money principles cross every state line. If government would stick to funding the essential functions of itself, you would not have parks and roads in disrepair.

This is about legalizing weed in NH, so I'll stay on topic and avoid the healthcare insurance bait. I bet a lot of roads could be fixed with weed tax revenue and I agree that many roads up there could certainly use it. As somebody who does not support most government social programs (SS and medicare are not included), I would even go as far to say that some of that tax revenue could be used for drug rehab programs and education. Weed use could certainly offer just as destructive consequences as anything else.

NH governs their liquor similar to how NC does it. We have county run ABC stores and it is the only place to buy anything other than beer or wine and those are in the grocery stores, too. I am not saying the state should also sell weed, but it sells alcohol and alcohol has done just as much if not more damage than weed ever has on a personal level. I am not counting the crime and violence that comes with underground weed enterprises.

Again, it comes down to money. Follow the money trail to almost everything. The government does not give a rats behind about you smoking marijuana. They just do not make any tax revenue off it like they do with alcohol or cigarette sales. It makes no sense to think that the government is looking out for your welfare about weed use while at the same time they are offering you alcohol and cigarettes right next to the highways as you drive to and from the lake.

As the only "anti" in this thread, I'm genuinely curious as to why you feel this way. Do you feel the same way about alcohol?

For me, it has nothing to do about the fact that it's just a plant, tax revenue, or anything of the like. I don't partake and haven't since I was a teenager, but for me it's all about personal liberty... If someone wants to smoke a doob and munch down on some Oreos, what position does the government (or me, you, or anyone else) have, to have a say in it?

MJ has been proven to be beneficial for many (both medically and recreationally), and it has also been proven to be much safer than dozens of other legal substances. There is no rational reason why it should be an illegal controlled substance.

The fact that 60-70% of the voting public in NH are for legalization, and Madame Hassan feels she needs to go by her wants instead of her constituents' wishes, really drives me up the wall as well. The woman has a damn beer named after (and endorsed by) her... And she's saying this is "a bad influence on children"?? Gimme a break.

As the only "anti" in this thread, I'm genuinely curious as to why you feel this way. Do you feel the same way about alcohol?

For me, it has nothing to do about the fact that it's just a plant, tax revenue, or anything of the like. I don't partake and haven't since I was a teenager, but for me it's all about personal liberty... If someone wants to smoke a doob and munch down on some Oreos, what position does the government (or me, you, or anyone else) have, to have a say in it?

MJ has been proven to be beneficial for many (both medically and recreationally), and it has also been proven to be much safer than dozens of other legal substances. There is no rational reason why it should be an illegal controlled substance.

The fact that 60-70% of the voting public in NH are for legalization, and Madame Hassan feels she needs to go by her wants instead of her constituents' wishes, really drives me up the wall as well. The woman has a damn beer named after (and endorsed by) her... And she's saying this is "a bad influence on children"?? Gimme a break.

I agree with you BostonWhaler, I also don't use it, and I do believe it is about personal liberty, the less the gov is involved in our lives the better.

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The only person that has anything to fear from a law abiding citizen with any gun and any size magazine is a criminal intending to harm that citizen or their family.

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When the issue of determining sobriety during traffic stops came up in WA and CO, it was deemed that police would retain the status quo... That is, they can cite/arrest anyone they deem too inebriated to drive. Even with alcohol, people can get a DUI and still be under the 0.08 limit. Field sobriety tests (and the actions of the driver) hold up well in court.

No, there is not. The driving case, the drivers actions, SFST's, and a blood draw to confirm the presence of marijuana are all crucial for a marijuana DWI conviction. They can be a pain to prosecute.

Alcohol DWI's are much easier to prosecute simply because of the breathalyzers and accurate blood draws. I have successfully prosecuted cases that were less than .08. It's called appreciable impairment.

This week, singer Justin Bieber showed that alcohol and marijuana can be imbibed at the same time.

C'mon, PBFF, as I see it, the whole reason people smoke MJ is to reach some level of "disconnect" with society. Then, quite possibly, this person will decide to hop in a car or boat and go somewhere. This puts the rest of us at risk. I am not unaware that there are already other forms of substance which can be used by someone, but why legalize another substance known to alter someone reality.

Call me old fashioned, but we have enough "altered" people cruising around society now, and we don't need to invite others to join.

C'mon, PBFF, as I see it, the whole reason people smoke MJ is to reach some level of "disconnect" with society. Then, quite possibly, this person will decide to hop in a car or boat and go somewhere. This puts the rest of us at risk. I am not unaware that there are already other forms of substance which can be used by someone, but why legalize another substance known to alter someone reality.

Call me old fashioned, but we have enough "altered" people cruising around society now, and we don't need to invite others to join.

OK...You're old fashioned...
...honestly CG. I understand why it's hard for people who don't understand the drug to be worried about legalization.
Marijuana does not need to be legalized so that people who smoke have easy access to it. It's already easy, delivery to your door easy...anywhere, especially up here in gods country. The grass around here is usually locally grown. It's not the old days where pot comes into Miami from Columbia or Panama and make it's way up north. Most of the MJ in the northeast comes from Canada and local indoor grows. It cost around 3-400 an ounce and the state gets NOTHING from the sale.

If done right, legalizing it destroys the MJ street drug trade overnight. It releases hundreds of millions of dollars spent in NH to enforce MJ laws and forces the law to focus on the drugs that are really killing our kids, prescription meds and heroin. It immediately frees the courts from thousands of petty MJ cases a week and allows the prisons to house real criminals. The tax revenue, ~25 million, is just a bonus.

As far as people boating and driving because it's legalized? I just don't buy that people who have never smoked pot are all of a sudden going to get stoned and drive. No data supports that hypothesis. All these arguments have been made in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii, California.

I worked as a firefighter/emt in Boston and the suburbs for close to 25 years and I have NEVER been to a call that was the result of marijuana (other than anxiety).
The safeness of the drug in adults is not up for debate. PERIOD. You can't overdose on pot.

As someone who understands the physiology of a lot of street drugs I would never suggest that driving under the influence of MJ is safe. It alters your perception of distance and you are not on your A game. I wish there were a good test that could determine if you are under the influence of MJ.

As a supporter of legalizing and taxing MJ I still think it makes sense to watch and see what happens in the states where it is legalized. Learn from them.

NH is the last state in NE to legalize medical MJ. By the time they get their dispensaries opened and all their regulations worked out it will be a huge waste of time and money. It will be legalized by then.

I won't even bring up that "Live Free Or Die" motto that NH used to brag about. That motto meant something to me as a teen when I lived in Mass. You can buy fireworks and the packies are open on Sunday in Newie!

The NH legislature will be totally out of its mind if it legalizes pot.....nothing good will come with it.....the 400-member NH House of Reps just recently voted no to casino gambling which is another problem the state can do very well without.....way-to-go NH House of Reps.....just say no to drugs and and no to gambling....and say yes to a four penny increase on the gasoline and diesel road tax to help pay for fixing all the thousands of pot holes!!! Whether it is the pot you smoke, or the pot hole in the road, the only good pot is the cooking pot sitting on top of your stove used for making minestrone soup!

Ok, so first let me say that I have never smoked anything in my life, tobacco or weed. I find it dirty, smelly, and gross. Maybe it's because my mother was a smoker all her life and there were always ashes and cigarette butts all over the house. It's also because my grandfather on my father's side was a habitual cigar smoker and died of throat cancer. I also remember going to Bruins games at the old Boston Garden as a kid and smelling the dope stench high in the 2nd balcony...another turn-off.

I know plenty of people my age, (early 50's), who don't drink a drop of alcohol, but hang out with their friends or neighbors at home, have dinner, and smoke weed. It is definitely not my thing, but the Libertarian in me wonders is this really any different than when my wife and I have friends over and we have dinner and polish off some Bud Lights and a bottle or two of merlot?

I know plenty of people my age, (early 50's), who don't drink a drop of alcohol, but hang out with their friends or neighbors at home, have dinner, and smoke weed. It is definitely not my thing, but the Libertarian in me wonders is this really any different than when my wife and I have friends over and we have dinner and polish off some Bud Lights and a bottle or two of merlot?

I'm sure there will be plenty of opinions on this one....

MM

I'm with you. I don't smoke anything and won't start, but I think it's utterly ridiculous that the state has laws against growing and using a particular plant. I couldn't care less if people want to use it and don't want my tax dollars going toward any enforcement of laws against it.

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Say hi if you see us on the lake.

The NH legislature will be totally out of its mind if it legalizes pot.....nothing good will come with it.....the 400-member NH House of Reps just recently voted no to casino gambling which is another problem the state can do very well without.....way-to-go NH House of Reps.....just say no to drugs and and no to gambling....and say yes to a four penny increase on the gasoline and diesel road tax to help pay for fixing all the thousands of pot holes!!! Whether it is the pot you smoke, or the pot hole in the road, the only good pot is the cooking pot sitting on top of your stove used for making minestrone soup!

Well, I would lecture you about how you have no idea what you are talking about when it comes to marijuana, but you already know that. If you did, you would know legalizing and taxing it is a no brainer.

Have you seen all the rampant violence and overdoses in Colorado and Washington? Right, all we've seen is the tax revenue.
During the first month of recreational marijuana sales, Colorado's licensed dispensaries generated a total of more than $14 million, putting about $2 million of tax revenue into state coffers in the process. Revenue was in line with expectations. Any politician who ignores the future data will have trouble explaining why.

David DelliQuadri was walking his daughter's dog Hailey, in Stehley Park [CO] on Nov. 25 when it ate something a vet thinks was laced with marijuana.

#“It’s like all the world is a threat to her now,” said David DelliQuadri, who was walking Hailey through Stehley Park in downtown Steamboat Springs when the dog ate something that a veterinarian later determined most likely was laced with marijuana.

#The extended side effects Hailey is experiencing after getting really stoned are not typical, but dogs ingesting marijuana and succumbing to marijuana toxicosis is not unusual in Steamboat Springs and throughout Colorado.

__________________
"It will be of little avail to the people, that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood: if they be repealed or revised before they are promulged, or undergo such incessant changes, that no man who knows what the law is to-day, can guess what it will be to-morrow." {James Madison in the Federalist Papers, No. 62}

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MM, after I sent the last post I said to myself.."I bet it's not a he but a she"...having 4 sons, ranging from 19-24, I just assume boys are trouble and girls are angels. I know that's far from the truth. The girls are just better liars!!

Thanks for the kind comments. I think we need to laugh a lot more and stop worrying about the 'little things' in life...one thing my 25 years in fire/EMS has taught me is that life is fleeting and can turn on a dime. I've also never encountered, heard or read any incident of marijuana directly causing any true medical emergency.

A 4th grader took something an irresponsible adult should have control over and brought it to school? I've never heard of such a thing.
What other tragedies have occurred since marijuana was legalized and medically available in half the country? The overdoses, increase in usage, crime, zombies, etc., etc...there must be lots of data to support the opposition's predictions of the perils of legalizing and taxing a plant.

Here's some real information on Colorado's recent legalization...
Limited marijuana possession has been legal for over a year in Colorado and retail shops have been open for almost two months. This means there is now real data showing that legalization is going well and mostly as its backers intended.

These five numbers tell the story:

1)77 percent decrease in state court marijuana cases - Legalization has caused marijuana arrest to plummet saving the state money. This drop is remarkable given that Colorado already had fairly liberal marijuana laws before Amendment 64 was approved. The Denver Post found, “the number of cases filed in state court alleging at least one marijuana offense plunged 77 percent between 2012 and 2013. The decline is most notable for charges of petty marijuana possession, which dropped from an average of 714 per month during the first nine months of 2012 to 133 per month during the same period in 2013 — a decline of 81 percent.”

2) $184 Million in new tax revenue – Legal marijuana sales are now projected to bring in $184 million in new tax revenue for the state during the first 18 months. This is higher than initial projections. Much of this money will go to education and drug treatment.

This number isn’t just important because it will help the state balance its budget. Significant tax revenue also proves that people are choosing to move from the black market to the new legal system even though there are high excise taxes.

3) 58 percent support for legalization – Now the that people of Colorado have gotten a chance to directly experience legalization they are increasingly supportive. Currently 58 percent of voters in Colorado support the new legalization law while only 39 percent oppose it. By comparison, in 2012 the ballot measure only won by 55.3 percent yes to 44.7 percent no.

4)10 percent last month usage rate – In the first month after retail stores opened only 10 percent of Colorado voters said they actually used marijuana. This is right in line with use rates before legalization, showing it has not turned the state into a “land of potheads.”

5) 6.3 percent increase in airline flight searches – Early indications are that legalization will also be a modest boost for tourism. According to Hopper, “Flight search demand for Denver has been 6.3% above the national search average since December 1st.” During the first week of January flight searches were up 14 percent.

Since marijuana was legalized in Colorado marijuana arrests are way down, tax revenue is up and support for reform continues to grow. This is what success looks like.

Colorado has always been very lax in enforcing marijuana laws. For decades Summit County has been known for public smoking of pot. And the local enforcement looks the other way. The laws just made the weed growers come out of the closet and sell responsibly.

Colorado has always been very lax in enforcing marijuana laws. For decades Summit County has been known for public smoking of pot. And the local enforcement looks the other way. The laws just made the weed growers come out of the closet and sell responsibly.

A lot of weed are still sold below the table.

Very true BH.

Lots of people grow in Colorado and would never pay the ridiculous price for convenience. They sell enough to friends to cover the cost of growing, which is barely anything. As more people grow their own plants the supply will sky rocket and the street prices will go the opposite direction.
Right now marijuana sells for about $10-$15 a gram, especially in the northeast, where it's most expensive. Once people can legally grow their own the cost will plummet.
If I was to utilize a spare bedroom closet in my home, for less than $500., I could grow enough in 90 days for 2 years worth of personal use and you would never see or smell anything. Trust me on this

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You are so right about the prices. It is outrageous in NE. CO prices are dirt cheap. My ski buddies will drive out to CO so that they can drive it back. Although they say it is safe, shipping weed with your ski luggage through FEDEX, I'd rather drive it back.

If you hike out into the Belknap range with a sharp eye, many folks don't use the bedroom closet!

If you hike out into the Belknap range with a sharp eye, many folks don't use the bedroom closet!

Or a semi-sharp nose!

A guy I know prefers the winter months indoors when his neighbors are in Florida and the temps are easier to control. He says once personal cultivation is passed he will throw some seeds in the outdoor garden. Last winter was his first ever closet attempt and the results were excellent providing a couple years worth of personal use. He thinks he may outlast prohibition with the single harvest.

The house rejected/tabled/whatever the casino bill yesterday and the talk was lawmakers were trying to attach amendments specifically marijuana decriminalization. I believe the minimum the state should do, asap, is stop the harsh penalties for small possession of grass. Massachusetts, since decriminalization in 2009, had the LOWEST pot arrest rate in the nation, prior to Colorado and Washington legalization.

In 2010 states spent over $3.6 billion enforcing marijuana possession laws, a combination of policing, judicial and legal, and corrections costs. Imagine if they used that money to shut down the "doc in the box" clinics that "legally" distribute opiates in Florida that are then sold in New England eventually turning pill users into heroin junkies. That's the real problem they should focus on. The prescription pill/heroin problem in NH is rampant amongst teens and young adults.

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Not sure what you think the hundreds of different flavored cigars, blunt wraps and rolling papers are at every store in the country, but they are used almost exclusively for rolling marijuana. Next time you're in a gas station or convenience store look behind the counter. Cigar wraps like Swisher Sweets or Philly Blunts don't enhance the high but give a bit of flavor to the wrap. Not my cup of tea, more the younger generations choice.
These cigars have been bought and sold for over a decade with little complaints...why?? Because of the taxes generated by selling "tobacco" products the State gets their cut. The fact that you just learned about blunt wraps tells me they are not bothering anyone. Some cities, like Boston (where you can walk down the street smoking a blunt/joint without arrest or even fear of a fine), banned the sale of single flavored cigars under $2.50 but they are still available in every other city on the planet.

The scientists call their study the first “to show casual use of marijuana is related to major brain changes.”

Maybe there really are repercussions to smoking pot. A new study holds that two neural regions key to emotions and motivation become misshapen or abnormally large after repeated pot smoking.

The scientists call their study the first "to show casual use of marijuana is related to major brain changes."

The study was paid for by the National Institutes of Health, the Office of National Drug Control Policy and Northwestern Medicine's Warren Wright Adolescent Center. The paper will be published Wednesday, August 27, 2014 in the Journal of Neuroscience.

To exemplify their claims, researchers used an MRI machine and the brains of 40 people between the ages of 18 and 25. They claim that the more marijuana a person smokes, the more those two neural regions get "damaged."

Dr. Hans Breiter, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, co-authored the study. He says, "Anytime you find there's a relationship to the amount of marijuana consumed and you see differences of core brain regions involved in processing of rewards, the making of decisions, the ability to assess emotions, that is a serious issue."
This study explains a lot.

It's diificult to make a strong argument when you consider that alchohol has been legal for as long as it has, and has done the damage that is has done. But as far as personal use is concerned, If you were to spend 1 hr with my nephew, and see the effect that it has on him, and his level of ambition and his attitude toward the world around him, WOW, that will scare you! There is a reason that they calll it DOPE! THe good news is the damage is not permanent, I have some proof of that. I have no issue with legalizing it, but I choose to not use. I have goals! And by the time I reach them I'll have more, That's what drives me forward!

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Marijuana use is a back door way to cripple the Oil & Gas industry in Colorado.

They’ve tried to do it already—an effort that failed—but Oil & Gas companies are generally required by their insurance companies to randomly test employees for drugs and alcohol. All sub-contractors are also required.

Can you imagine what Oil & Gas company liability insurance rates will do if marijuana use is allowed?

If this stoner wins his case, look for businesses to flee Colorado at their first opportunity:

I've seen a lot of facts, partial facts, misinterpretations and completely whacky and unsubstantiated tidbits in this thread, so I have to set the record straight(er). First off, there have been no, 0, zilch, peer reviewed, credible scientific studies on the effects of pot to any part of the human anatomy because the scientific study of marijuana is illegal in the US. Some institutions are beginning to collect information, but the case histories are so short that no conclusions can be made beyond anecdotal observations. Secondly, while the state has determined that it will regulate retail pot sales, it is still up to the local jurisdictions as to whether or not they will allow retail sales, how much the sales will be taxed on a local level, and how the sales will be enforced. Some communities are looking at legalizing the sales due to the observed increase in municipal and county revenues, but most of them are putting it to their constituency as a ballot question, rather than having a council of 3 to 7 vote on such a big issue. Thus, there is no back door conspiracy against oil and gas through the legalization of weed, and many more companies are relocating to Colorado as opposed to leaving the state, due to legalization. Third, while I initially agreed with the observation that the excessive tax on weed would make the street sales go up and the retail sales peter off, this has yet to be the case. Anyone anywhere can grow up to six plants for their own personal use, but there are so many new strains that have been bred for specific qualities, that people are becoming loyal customers to specific retailers after finding their brand of choice. Weed has always been expensive due to risk, middle-men, etc. While the weed tax is high, the middle-men are mostly cut out as Colorado's pot regulations force the industry to be vertical monopolies, unlike Washington State where they are forced to be horizontal monopolies. The jury is still out on the pros and cons, but it's an interesting experiment to watch.

How short sighted those against such.
Some will always gamble.
And why not keep the proceeds provided by taxation and fees right here in New Hampshire?
Busloads of folks travel to these casinos out of state.
More lost revenue for New Hampshire.
More lost jobs for New Hampshire.

A new poll is out in New Hampshire which found growing support for marijuana legalization. New Hampshire is one of the leading states on my radar to legalize marijuana via the legislature between now and 2016. The poll was conducted by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center. Below are some of the findings:

Although New Hampshire has legalized marijuana for medical purposes, earlier this year the New Hampshire legislature defeated an effort to legalize marijuana for recreational use. There is growing support for legalizing recreational marijuana in New Hampshire — 59% now support legalizing marijuana for recreational use (34% strongly and 25% somewhat), 35% oppose (25% strongly and 10% somewhat), 5% are neutral and 2% are unsure. Support for legalization has increased 8 percentage points in the past year.

Support for recreational marijuana legalization is strongest among those who never attend church (71% support), Independents (71%) and Democrats (70%). Opposition is strongest among regular churchgoers (58% oppose), older residents (52%), and Republicans (50%).

If marijuana were legalized in the Granite State, three-quarters of New Hampshire residents (72%) approve of selling it at licensed retail outlets and taxing it, similar to how alcohol is sold (48% strongly and 24% somewhat), only 24% disapprove of this idea (19% strongly and 5% somewhat), 2% are neutral and 1% are unsure. Support for this taxing and selling marijuana like alcohol has steadily increased since 2013.

Young people (86%), liberals (82%), Democrats (80%) are most likely to approve of this concept while regular churchgoers (44% oppose), older adults (38%), and Tea Party supporters (35%) are most likely to disapprove.

When asked what they would prefer the state legislature to do with marijuana laws, 52% want marijuana legalized and taxed like alcohol, 19% want it decriminalized, 27% want to keep marijuana laws as they are now and 2% don’t know or are unsure. This has measure is unchanged since it was last asked in April.

Majorities of Democrats (56%) and Independents (66%) prefer legalizing and taxing marijuana, while Republicans are more divided on the issue as 39% prefer legalization and 40% prefer keeping laws the way they are now.

That’s a very extensive poll. If 59% of residents of a state support something, politicians should be all over it, marijuana or otherwise. Will New Hampshire legalize marijuana between now and 2016? Only time will tell, but I think the state has a great chance of joining Colorado and Washington, and hopefully Alaska, Oregon, and Washington D.C. too if the 2014 Election works out.

Marijuana use is a back door way to cripple the Oil & Gas industry in Colorado.

They’ve tried to do it already—an effort that failed—but Oil & Gas companies are generally required by their insurance companies to randomly test employees for drugs and alcohol. All sub-contractors are also required.

Can you imagine what Oil & Gas company liability insurance rates will do if marijuana use is allowed?

If this stoner wins his case, look for businesses to flee Colorado at their first opportunity:

It's diificult to make a strong argument when you consider that alchohol has been legal for as long as it has, and has done the damage that is has done. But as far as personal use is concerned, If you were to spend 1 hr with my nephew, and see the effect that it has on him, and his level of ambition and his attitude toward the world around him, WOW, that will scare you! There is a reason that they calll it DOPE! THe good news is the damage is not permanent, I have some proof of that. I have no issue with legalizing it, but I choose to not use. I have goals! And by the time I reach them I'll have more, That's what drives me forward!

Quote:

A study more than thirty years in the making found that smoking marijuana permanently lowers intelligence, or IQ. Frequent pot smokers (even those who had given up marijuana) tended to have deficits in memory, concentration, and overall IQ.

The reduction in IQ for those who smoked pot heavily prior to age 18 was most pronounced: an average of eight points. An eight point reduction in IQ is enough to have a significant, negative impact upon your life.

To put it into context, consider that individuals with an IQ of 110 have an average net worth of $71,000 and individuals with an IQ of 120 have an average net worth of $128,000.

"As many as a quarter of new cases of psychotic mental illness can be blamed on super-strength strains of cannabis, scientists will warn this week...The latest research, to be published in The Lancet, concludes: ‘People who used cannabis or skunk every day were roughly three times more likely to have a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder than were those who never used cannabis.’

Michael Ellis, a Tory member of the Home Affairs Select Committee, said: ‘This powerful new study illustrates that those in government and the police must be careful to send out the right message.

Vermont could become the first state in history to legalize recreational marijuana via state legislature with a new bill submitted Tuesday that aims to end prohibition of the plant.

Senate Bill 95 would legalize the possession, use and sale of recreational marijuana in the state for those 21 and older. Adult residents could possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow up to nine plants.

Non-residents could also enjoy the new laws, legally purchasing up to one-quarter of an ounce of marijuana from a licensed retail shop.

If the measure passes, it's likely that Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) would sign it into law.

Legal marijuana is the fastest-growing industry in the U.S., according to a recent report from industry analysts ArcView Group. Their recent report predicts that over the next five years, 14 more states will legalize recreational marijuana. Along with Vermont, at least nine more states are expected to consider recreational marijuana legalization by 2016.

Massachusetts and Maine will have recreational legalization on the next ballot and both are expected to pass. That means in 2016 New Hampshire could be surrounded by states that have legal recreation marijuana.
Those states will certainly thank the people of NH for their tax revenue.
NH remains the only NE state where your life can be ruined for possessing a joint. Live Free Or Die?

Treatment centers are finally approved for MM. Hopefully the Belknap Cty. dispensary is in Laconia. Unfortunately NH still considers simple possession of small amounts an offense that requires arrest. Getting a medical marijuana ID is the only way to avoid being locked up in NH.

NH will be the last state in New England to adopt those suggestions. Live Free or Die only applies to irresponsible things like not wearing seat belts or helmets. Updated death count from marijuana, ZERO. Last year's alcohol related death count, 80,000. The State has no problem opening two huge liquor outlets on the highway though

The marijuana "death count" you quote was derived from an overdose hoax. With our very imperfect media, it's like a lifetime to reporters waiting several weeks for toxicology reports to "close" the news story. Their job is to get the news—not necessarily the follow-ups—as we have seen repeatedly locally. Deaths resulting from use of marijuana just aren't sought out.

I noted that Canada's answer to medical marijuana was to provide it "just for the asking". Alas, patients complained: "It's not very strong".

What to do?

A Canadian could go to a recent "Pot Show" in Colorado, where marijuana wares are amply displayed. Police arrested one distributor who was selling illegal drugs under the table.

In Canada, the Supreme Court says that medical marijuana can now be eaten—delivered in cookies and candies. This is making bad law "from the bench." Children will surely be affected.

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"The 7-0 ruling on medical marijuana offered the biggest rejection of the government’s stated war on drugs since 2011, when the Supreme Court said unanimously that federal authorities had no right to close a Vancouver clinic at which drug addicts could inject illegal drugs under medical supervision.

I watch Colorado news for some inkling that the state did the right thing by its voters. Today, a Colorado man used a gun to shoot through his foot "to see what it felt like". This does not auger well for the 93 million Americans who are out of work—with millions worldwide whose goal is to take any US position offered. Will those American unemployed be rejected by employers when they're suspected as having a psychotic disorder?

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"Compared with someone who had never smoked, a weekly user of high-potency weed was about three times as likely to be diagnosed with a psychotic disorder. For daily users, the risk increased to five times".
The Washington Post

Do we need more auto- and boat-drivers with suspected psychotic disorder?

From Europe, "stunting" news:

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"Cannabis is the most widely available illicit drug in Europe, and it's estimated that it's been used by 80.5 million Europeans at least once in their life.
...
Dr Rivzi said the research may have a wider impact than just health, adding: "Early puberty is associated with younger age of onset of drinking and smoking, and early matures have higher levels of substance abuse because they enter the risk period at an early level of emotional maturity."

"...It’s just one of my many experiences from my 2 yr stint running a company in San Francesspool. after that, I ran a company based in Amsterdam for 2 yrs. I’m quite aware of the stoned out morons and their impact on society.

if you want to be a stoner... do it at home. just don’t try to tell anyone it’s normal."

The marijuana "death count" you quote was derived from an overdose hoax. With our very imperfect media, it's like a lifetime to reporters waiting several weeks for toxicology reports to "close" the news story. Their job is to get the news—not necessarily the follow-ups—as we have seen repeatedly locally. Deaths resulting from use of marijuana just aren't sought out.

Canada's Supreme Court has ruled that marijuana can be legally eaten as well as smoked. (And that hospitalized patients can inject their own hard drugs in their rooms).

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The deaths occurred as Colorado lawmakers are scrambling to create safety regulations for the largely unmonitored marijuana snacks. On Thursday, the Legislature advanced a package of bills that would lower the amount of THC that could be permitted in a serving of food and require more extensive warning labels.

One dead after shooting himself in the head. Another jumps from a high-rise. Nine dead in Colorado, twelve dead in Coachella...

(Excerpt)

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An autopsy report listed marijuana intoxication as a significant contributing factor in the death of 19-year-old Levy Thamba Pongi.

Even before recreational marijuana went on sale here on New Year's Day 2014, Colorado businesses sold marijuana-laced edibles for medical use. But some packages resemble other tasty sweets and have caught some adults off guard with their potency. In some cases, they've also fallen into the hands of children.

Save millions of dollars fighting a lost cause: the war on marijuana, did we not learn anything from prohibition?

I posted this because the issue is again before the NH senate!

And once again, defeated by the senate, ignoring what the people want.

Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont will have recreational marijuana on the ballots in November. Meanwhile, in the LFOD state, you go to jail for small amounts of it.

The more than 30,700 Americans who died from alcohol-induced causes last year doesn’t include alcohol-related deaths like drunk driving or accidents; if it did, the death toll would be more than two and a half times higher.

Updated death toll from fatal marijuana overdose: It's still ZERO!

Instead of the state spending $100 million on marijuana prohibition why not focus on the drugs that are killing people? Heroin and alcohol.

Live Free or Die is a joke motto. This state is the most restrictive in New England.

Why is it that people don't understand that people are dying everyday from opiate overdoses and Marijuana is where it all started. Ask anyone what there first drug was. Police,fire and medical personnel are carrying narcone to prevent deaths. Who is paying for this? I know there is not a simple solution to this as legalization creeps "dangerously" closer. Medical marijuana as I see it can be very dangerous as there trying to find ways to stop drugs from being flooded on the communities and now go see a doctor for a medical marijuana card. I got a few good reasons to get one and if the good reasons don't work then I can come up with a bad one that"ll work if that's the path I choose to take.
Taxes and greed are going to kill a lot of friends and family of everyone

Not quite true PBFF...How many of those alcohol related deaths and accidents also had marijuana in their system??... If a person is arrested for alcohol DWI they do not test for marijuana. Just because they don't test for it doesn't mean its not there.

This state as well as the entire country certainly does not have alcohol DWI under control and it IS a big issue. Now the state should legalize another impairment drug when they cant control the one that's legal already??...I'm not sure I agree with that.

You and I both know that smoking a joint while drinking increases impairment ten fold or more...how do you stop the MANY irresponsible people who will smoke weed and drink then get behind the wheel of a car??

Hey, I have nothing against the responsible use of marijuana. Unfortunately our society is very irresponsible and making it legal will only give easier access to those who are not responsible.

I'll be honest, I'm on the fence on this issue but I do see and understand both sides of the argument...

Not quite true PBFF...How many of those alcohol related deaths and accidents also had marijuana in their system??... If a person is arrested for alcohol DWI they do not test for marijuana. Just because they don't test for it doesn't mean its not there.

This state as well as the entire country certainly does not have alcohol DWI under control and it IS a big issue. Now the state should legalize another impairment drug when they cant control the onge that's legal already??...I'm not sure I agree with that.

You and I both know that smoking a joint while drinking increases impairment ten fold or more...how do you stop the MANY irresponsible people who will smoke weed and drink then get behind the wheel of a car??

Hey, I have nothing against the responsible use of marijuana. Unfortunately our society is very irresponsible and making it legal will only give easier access to those who are not responsible.

I'll be honest, I'm on the fence on this issue but I do see and understand both sides of the argument...

Enjoy the weekend!!

Dan

In all fairness Dan, I did write 'fatal overdose', not deaths caused by idiots who get high and do stupid things. Personal responsibility is still paramount. You cannot fatally overdose from marijuana.
You and I both know it would take someone minutes to find and buy weed anywhere. It's been that way forever.
Decriminalizing small amounts won't make it any easier to obtain. It will actually lift a burden off law enforcement. They have much bigger problems to deal with like meth and heroin. That has been my observation and the opinion of many of my police officer friends, both state and local.

I plan on catching my first small mouth off the dock today. Water just hit 50 degrees here.
If you're on Paugus and you see smoke near Christmas Island it's just me burning leaves!

I understand penivisi, but does it really matter if it was illegal or not, something started them down the road. I think these people have addictive personalities and there are several reasons for their addictions, wether it be alcohol, prescription drugs (remember the term "hillbilly heroin"--aka OxyContin! There were loads of people down in Kentucky addicted to that stuff that probably never even tried pot) or emotional problems. I think these people are going to fall into thier addictions no matter what is around them. Millions of people (the vast majority) use marijuana and never go on to hard drugs. Of course this is all conjecture and opinion but If people want something they will get it no matter if it is illegal or not. We have wasted enough money on marijuana prohibition that is not working and has no chance of working. Education is the key not punishment. Look at cigarettes, when I was a kid most people smoked. Now with education most people do not (do you really think that would have happened if they simply made them illegal). Think of what we could have done with the billions wasted on an unenforceable law. I remember the heroin scourges of the late 60's and 70's and the way it was stopped was education. The way the addiction was portrayed in movies ( the French connection et al.'), music (John Lennon's "Cold Turkey" et al.), the news, it stopped being fashionable and the ugliness of it was revealed to people. The government has also had a bad habit of lying to the people and using propaganda (Think "Reefer Madness" Et al.). This has led to people doubting the government. The government also walled off research (and still does) about marijuana. Let's get some real research from independent sources about the hazards or lack there of marijuana and this sway public perceptions concerning the drug.

"...Of 29 persistent pot smokers who grew up in middle-class families, 15 experienced downward social mobility, versus only 23 of 160 middle-class peers who never used marijuana.

"Participants who consistently qualified as dependent on marijuana after age 18 encountered the worst money troubles over time, even exceeding those of alcoholic peers...the association between marijuana and money troubles remained after accounting for childhood poverty, IQ, teenage delinquency and depression, impulsiveness, self-reported motivation to succeed in life, pot-related criminal convictions and abuse of alcohol and other drugs on top of frequent marijuana use."
—Science News, April 30, 2016

Once you legalize dope, there will be no crime and life will be perfect...

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The cops in Colorado knew this would happen. They predicted it, and it has come to fruition.

Now a prosecutor in the state has gone on the record with his concerns. Arapahoe County district attorney George Brauchler provides some disturbing statistics: 10 of the last 15 murders in his jurisdiction were connected to marijuana.

Mr. Brauchler expressed the following to FOX 31 out of Denver:

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"There is increased crime, sometimes violent crime, associated with legalization of marijuana," Brauchler said. "That's not what you'd expect. You'd expect the harder-core drugs." ... "If cash is the only way to acquire marijuana, crime follows cash," Brauchler said ... Brauchler believes the legalization of marijuana is partly to blame for the rise in crime. "It is easier for there to be black market in a legalized system than there was before," he said.

This all wasn't supposed to happen. The pot legalization advocates told us that legalized marijuana would reduce crime and effectively eliminate the black market. Now we have experienced and respected prosecutors saying they are seeing, firsthand, the exact opposite.http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/06

So the city of Denver just approved marijuana use in bars and restaurants. You can now smoke some weed and have a drink at the same time! How wonderful! Now everyone can drink and get stoned then drive home! Oh wait... I bet everyone will be walking to these bars and restaurants right??...or have a designated driver because lord knows how responsible society is! NOT!